Boat connection



Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550,354

w. a. FOULKES BOAT CONNECTION Filed April 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 1 1925. 1,550,354

W. E. FOULKES BOAT CONNECTION Filed.Apri1 4, 1924 2 Shaets-Sheet 2 P l N I .5 xxx/ aw? 5 Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

FICE.

wInn A-M 1:. remains, or cnrcaeo; ILLINOIS.

.BQAT conuno'rroiv.

Application filed April 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kno-wn'that I, WILLIAM' E. FoULKEs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat Coir nections, of which the following is aspecification. f

'My invention relates to improvementsin boat connections and has for its object the provision of aniimproved connection by means of which two boat members may be secured together for Imovement of one by the other which will permit of" necessary movements between saidfboat members to permit of use in comparatively heavy seas.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The inventionwill be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of two boat members connected by means embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 an enlarged rear elevation of an abutment member employed in the connection;

Fig. 4 a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and v FFig. 5 a section taken on line 55 of The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a supporting member consisting of a central block 6 having side blocks 7 hinged thereto to swing on vertical axes as shown. The central block 6 is provided on one side with a vertical slot or notch 8 adapted and arranged to fit over the end of a pointed boat member as indicated by the dotted lines at the left of Fig. 1. The side blocks 7 are provided with securing eyes9 for engagement by suitable cables or lines 10 and whereby the supporting member may be securely bound to the stern of a barge or the like 11. Where the stern of the barge/is square and fiat as indicated at the center of Fig. 1 the supporting member will be secured thereto in fiat condition as shown. Where the stern of the barge is pointed as indicated at the left of Fig. 1 the slot 8 will be fitted over the prow 12 of the barge 1924; Serial No. 704,172. g

and the supporting. member bound in place as indicated by the dotted lines.

The central block 6 isprovided with a rearwardly extending abutment post 13 which is pivotally mounted in a suitable socketl f andheld in place by a threaded cap 1'5'whereby the abutment member 13 is permitted to rotate freely on a horizontal longitudinal axis. Abutment member 13 is provided with a vertical slot or notch16 having a vertically convex bottom 17, said notch being arranged to fit over the prow of a tug or the like 19 andlthe convex bottom 17 ofthe slot 16 permitting of vertical rock ing between the barge and tug in heavy seas. The swiveled mounting of the abutment member 13 permits of relatively lateral rock ing or rolling between the barge and tug in heavy sea y j The barge and tugare bound together by means of'line's' or cables 20 engaging windlasses or capstan's2l' of the side rails of the bow of the tug 19 as shown. Suitable spring members 22 are included in the cables 20 and thus afford yielding connection between the boat and barge which permits of the necessary movements between the two in heavy seas. justing the capstans 21 the relative arrangement between the barge and tug may be varied to assist in steering.

By this arrangement the barge and tug may be securely fastened together for propulsion of the barge and the connect-ions are such as to permit of necessary relative movements between the barge and tug in heavy seas.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of two boat members arranged in towing relation; a member swivelled to one boat and constituting an abutment between the boat members, said swivelled member having a slot receivin the prow of the other boat member; anc

Obviously by ad means connecting said boat members allowing relative pitching movemenjts thereof, substantially as described.

2. The combination of two boat mem bers arranged in towing relation; a block hinged to the end of one boat member; an abutment member swivelled to said block and having a slot receiving therein the prow of the other boat member; and neans connecting said boat members allowing relative pitching movements thereoi, substanstantially as described.

3. A boat connection comprising a supporting member adapted to be secured to the end of a boat; and an abutment member pivotally mounted on said supporting member to rotate on a longitudinal-axis, said abutment being provided with a slot for the reception of the prow or a boat member, substantially as described.

4:. A boat connection comprising a supporting member adapted and arranged to be secured to the end of a boat member; and an abutment member pivotally mounted on said supporting member to rotate on alongitudinal axis, said abutment member being provided with a slot for the reception of the prow of a boat member, the bottom of said slot being vertically convex in form, substantially as described.

5. 'A boat connection comprising a supporting member adapted and arranged to be secured to the end of aboat member; an abutment member pivotally mounted on said supporting member to rotate on a longitudinal axis, said abutment member being provided with a slot for the reception for the prow of a boat member, the bottom of said slot being vertically convex: in form; and cable members having yieldable spring connections therein for securing said boat members together, substantially as described.

6. A boat connection comprising a supporting member consisting of a central block and two side blocks hinged thereto to swing on vertical axes, said central block being provided with a vertical groove in one side; an abutment member swivelled to the other side of central block to rotate on a horizontal axis, said abutment member being provided with a vertical slot having a vertically convex bottom; and attaching members on said hinged blocks for securing said supporting member in place at the end of a boat member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM E. FOULKES. 

